LAHORE, Jan 16: A last-gasp goal by Mohammad Nadeem helped Allied Bank (ABL) draw 1-1 with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) in the 50th national hockey championship departmental qualifying rounds on Thursday.

PTCL took an early lead through Akhtar Ali who scored after receiving a pass from Saleem Khalid at National Hockey Stadium.

After the interval, PTCL thwarted three attempts from ABL who finally equalised through a 68th-minute penalty corner converted by Nadeem on an indirect try.

In another keenly-contested match, Ejaz Rasool’s winner enabled formidable Habib Bank (HBL) overcome minnows Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) 2-1.

The bankers were shocked when POF slammed home in the 20th minute through captain Shafiqul Islam. HBL snatched the equaliser when Kashif Jawwad netted in the 48th minute. Ejaz scored the winner converting a penalty corner after six minutes.

Customs had to fight hard to overpower Pakistan Navy 4-3. Customs converted a short corner in the 13th minute to move 1-0 ahead through Shabbir. Navy equalised five minutes later through Mohammad Imran.

Customs again took the lead when Mudassir Khan scored in the last minute of the first half.

Customs extended the lead with Waseem Feroze scoring in the 40th minute. Navy came back to reduce the margin and levelled by scoring twice through Jameel Khan in the 50th and the 52nd minutes.

But Zafaryab’s 55th-minute goal gave Customs a narrow victory.

Wapda, helped by a Shahid Rabbani hat trick, registered an emphatic 15-0 win over University Grants Commission (UGC) to accumulate maximum 12 points after three matches.

Shahid found the net in the 8th, 16th and the 18th minute to score the hat trick, while Sohail Abbas made it 4-0 by converting a short corner in the 19th minute.

Wapda earned 5-0 lead through Mudassar Ahmad in the 21st minute, Rehan Butt scored in the 27th and 28th minute which made the score 7-0 at break.

Wapda showed no mercy as they went on adding eight more after halftime. Mudassir netted a minute after resumption. Rehan blasted home two more (38th, 46th minutes), while Mudassir two in a row (47th, 57th minute) to make it 12-0.

Aamir Hussain contributed a goal in the 65th minute, while three minutes later Mudassir got his fourth. Rehan completed the scoring in the last minute of the game.

PIA recovered after conceding a goal to defeat National Bank (NBP) 4-1.

The national carrier went 1-0 down when bankers scored through Mohammad Anis in the 5th minute. PIA’s Rahim Khan equalised when he converted a penalty corner in the 13th minute.

Mohammad Farooq, who scored two goals, got his first in the in the 55th minute, Malik Shafqat found the cage in the 60th minute, before Farooq scored his second in the 69th minute to complete the tally.

Railways earned first point when they defeated PTV 5-2 after taking 2-0 lead at half time.

Rashid Minhas, who scored two goals for the winners, drew first blood, scoring in the 10th minute. Sohail Imran doubled the lead in the 28th minute, Mohammad Rauf (29th minute), Rashid (46th minute) and Nadeem Junior (49th minute) made the score 5-0.

Nadeem (57th minute) and Mohammad Shahid (60th minute) reduced the margin for the losers.

Friday’s fixtures:

PTV v PAF; Army v NBP; Railways v Police.